Winter projects, purchases, upgrades ?

[Potter]

My winter project is fixing up an old yacht from the late 70's. It's a beautiful thing made when all the interiors were teak and solidly built, instead of modern Ikea type interiors made of plastic and composite.

LEts see then

Interior...

[Mr. Dazzle]

Thats proper teak decking....literally. Looks like it could come off the back of a Rolls-Royce.

Much as I love Carbon Fibre (I made a living from it for >10 years) you can't beat a nice bit of wood* IMO.



*Well you can, but that's different

[singlesman]

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We seem to be collecting pre-injection R1 stuff, not really sure why as I don’t particularly want to ride it and it’s not ideal for the ‘boy’ to make his trackday debut on, still I’m quite enjoying remembering how carbs work, (or don’t) and I’m sure he’ll be fine on it!!!
45bhp crf 250 to 145 bhp R1, what could possibly go wrong?

[Nidge]

US spec tank now fitted

[Nobby]

A3342F1A-7801-4563-A4E3-D84F70B2E0E1.jpegCC9B3800-3A4B-4343-A8C3-EE3EFB8353EF.jpegWe seem to be collecting pre-injection R1 stuff, not really sure why as I don’t particularly want to ride it and it’s not ideal for the ‘boy’ to make his trackday debut on, still I’m quite enjoying remembering how carbs work, (or don’t) and I’m sure he’ll be fine on it!!!
45bhp crf 250 to 145 bhp R1, what could possibly go wrong?

Did you buy that from Big Tony or Little Ben ?

[singlesman]

Blimey, that’s good detective work, think the guys name was Ben. It was an eBay buy and my son drove up to Norfolk to pick it up so I never met anyone.
Guessing the red fairing gave it away?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I spent a couple of hours making a fairing bracket for my YPVS, it's not pretty but it is functional.

[Nobby]

Blimey, that’s good detective work, think the guys name was Ben. It was an eBay buy and my son drove up to Norfolk to pick it up so I never met anyone.
Guessing the red fairing gave it away?

Well, yes, the fairing did give it away. I didn't know if it was Tonys or Smiley Bens bike. I think he only raced it once a couple of years ago. If I recall the fairing bracket broke. Are there any signs of a fix or did they replace it ? Seemed to go ok.

[GuzziPaul]

Unusually nothing planned for the Le Mans. I had the engine and gearbox out in October to fix on oil leak between engine and gearbox. Which meant wheels and forks off swinging arm off. Took the opportunity to strip the bevel drive and replace all the bearings and seals and helicoil the oil level and drain plugs which is recommended if you have it apart if its not been done.

The Tuono I'm going to have the forks out again and replace the oil, did it last year and put 5w oil in which was suggested on Aprilia forums but I've not got on with so going back to 10w. I might take the heads off and do a valve check and an oil change although it's not due yet but I've got the time and it fills the nights in.

[DefTrap]

Going to put a cafe racer seat on the auld retro'd ntv
OR it's going to stay the way it is and I'll tart up the back end with some sort of industrially rack.

Plenty of time to think about it. Minimal talent to execute it.

[Big Pete]

So I've picked up another T140 this is an E model denoting emissions compliance for the American market required by the late 70s, so it has electronic ignition, Mk2 Amal carbs and parallel (as opposed to splayed) inlet ports. It's a 1981 model and need a few bits doing top it- firstly the carbs need a rebuild to get it running smoothly (this is typically the choke plungers needing replacing) , but the engine itself is the quietest T140 I've ever heard. Other things I will do will be to replace the UK style tank with a spare US one I have and some general tidying up, but with stainless rims and rear mudguard there is very little corrosion to address.

My brother in law has one of those, with the large US tank on it, and some hand made fiberglass side panels, it's a tidy looking bike. The original tank and panels are fugly IMO

[asmethurst99]

I'm selling a secondhand Yoshi exhaust that doesn't fit because of the after market down pipes and looking to buy a quieter slip on more pleasing to the eye for my sc 28 .

[Nidge]

Is that all standard and is it a yank bike repatriated? the chrome looks amazing as does the rest of the bike.

Pretty much standard UK bike. The rims are stainless as is the rear mudguard and the paintwork looks like a fairly OK rattle can job, but the UK spec tank needs to be two colours (as it would have been standard) to break it up a bit. I'm toying with either keeping the US tank I've put on it or getting the UK tank sprayed with the correct white panel like this:

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[Skub]

White panel is the winner.

[Mr. Dazzle]

So despite what I said about the CBR only needing tyres I am actively considering changing its suspension over the winter.

Given what Harry and others have said about the merits of decent suspension I'm sorely tempted. I know Yorick and Couchy have both said in the past decent boingy bits are worth the money too. Plus I've always fancied having a bike with spring rates set for my weight, just because I'm about 12.5 stone in full leathers and I never carry pillions, so I imagine Honda expected quite a lot more weight.

I can get the forks resprung and revalved for about £300. Rebuilding the standard Honda shock is ~£200 or I can a Nitron with springs and valves set to my weight for ~£400. I'd do all the fitting myself so its about £700 for what should be quite a dramatic improvement. Seems like a bargain to me...

[KungFooBob]

I keep seeing a lot of chatter on Friendface about 'Shock Factory' shocks. People seem to rate them and they look quite affordable compared to some other brands, all made to your specifications.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I worked literally across the road from the Nitron factory for >5 years. I only realised when I saw their address on their website.

[KungFooBob]

I had a Nitron on my Desmo race bike, it came with the bike and I didn't swap it, so I have nothing to compare it too, however the quality/finish felt good.

[Mr. Dazzle]

£350 for a Shock Factory model with combined comp/rebound adjustment, Nitron and K tech equivalents are about £400-450....

Deffo worth considering.

[Bigjawa]

K12 Might do the bevel drive seals as it's a bit misty after a few hundred miles.

ST1100 - Throttle cables, brakes and a service.

CBF125 - Head bearings and a service, chain and sprockets.

Everything else can wait until later.